NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The country’s general post office recently received ‘rave’ reviews after an audit by the United Postal Union, according to Transport and Local Government Minister Renward Wells.
Wells said it was the first audit in 25 years.
“The last time I think it was audited they was about 25 years ago by the United Postal Union,” he said.
“I am happy to report to the people of The Bahamas that their post office passed the United Postal Union audit this past Friday and it was a direct result of the fact that we removed our employees from that dilapidated structure on East Hill Street.
“Those folks can say whatever they want. As I said in the House of Assembly the proof of the pudding is in the eating and it has been eaten. The result is The Bahamas Post Office is where it ought to be.”
Wells continued: “We are looking toward ta final audit in January. They gave us rave reviews. They gave our procedures rave reviews.
“There are a couple of areas we need to tighten up on as in any audit but the fact fo the matter is the hard choice of having moved we did it at the right time for the employees of the post office and for the Bahamian people.”
He said: “Folks ought to remember that the Post Office is a port of entry. Come January for the first time we will be able to put in for our security certification to certify our post office internationally as being secure. This was as a result of what the audits have said to us about the work we have done in regard to the post office.”
The general post office was relocated to the Town Centre Mall back in May, however the move was not without controversy.
Last October, conflict of interest claims were leveled against St Anne’s MP Brent Symonette when the government announced plans to move the General Post Office from East Hill Street to the Town Center Mall, of which Symonette holds partial ownership.
The Government entered into a five-year leasehold agreement with the landlord of the Town Center Mall at a concessionary rate of $12 per square foot.
The Town Centre Mall lease formed the basis of last week’s no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.
The Opposition maintains Minnis mislead the House in the resolution’s declaration that Symonette had no involvement in the discussions on the lease agreement.
Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Leader Philip Brave Davis recently doubled down on his accusations, and challenged the prime minister to take legal action if he feels aggrieved.
Yesterday, Wells said: “They can go to the court. I am not a lawyer. I don’t know what the courts will say. I do know there are separation of powers in The Bahamas. You have the branches of government, you have the legislature, the executive and then you have the judiciary.
“The legislature listened to the resolution, we debated it and moved that we have full confidence in the Prime Minister of The Bahamas. Even those who had not too flattering things to say either abstained din regard to one of the members and the other voted for it. At the end of the day the legislature had its say.”
He added: “It’s going to be interesting to what the court does because the court typically stays out of the business of the Parliament. Misleading Parliament it’s a parliamentary issue and none of us believe that the Prime Minister misled the Parliament. We already had that debate.”
